Read it here.
Dated: Circa 64 AD
From: Paul
To: Timothy
Location written in: The city of Rome or the province of Macedonia
Other notes:
1st Timothy is revered as holy by Christians.
It is the 35th book of the Bible.
Wednesday, 30 September 2015
2nd Thessalonians
Read it here.
Dated: Circa 51 or 52 AD
From: Paul
To: The Christians living in Thessalonia
Location written in: Corinth
Other notes:
2nd Thessalonians is revered as holy by Christians.
It is the 34th book of the Bible.
Dated: Circa 51 or 52 AD
From: Paul
To: The Christians living in Thessalonia
Location written in: Corinth
Other notes:
2nd Thessalonians is revered as holy by Christians.
It is the 34th book of the Bible.
Paul's First Letter to the Thessalonians
Read it here.
Dated: Circa 51 AD
From: Paul
To: The Christians living in Thessalonia
Location written in: Corinth
Other notes:
1st Thessalonians is revered as holy by Christians.
It is the 33rd book of the Bible.
Dated: Circa 51 AD
From: Paul
To: The Christians living in Thessalonia
Location written in: Corinth
Other notes:
1st Thessalonians is revered as holy by Christians.
It is the 33rd book of the Bible.
Paul's Letter to the Colossians
Read it here.
Dated: Circa 60 AD
From: Paul
To: The Christians living in Colosse
Location written in: Rome
Other notes:
Colossians is revered as holy by Christians.
It is the 32nd book of the Bible.
Dated: Circa 60 AD
From: Paul
To: The Christians living in Colosse
Location written in: Rome
Other notes:
Colossians is revered as holy by Christians.
It is the 32nd book of the Bible.
Tuesday, 29 September 2015
Letter from Pope Urban II (1195)
Urban, bishop, servant of the servants of God, to all the faithful, both princes and subjects, waiting in Flanders; greeting, apostolic grace, and blessing.
Your brotherhood, we believe, has long since learned from many accounts that a barbaric fury has deplorably afflicted an laid waste the churches of God in the regions of the Orient. More than this, blasphemous to say, it has even grasped in intolerabe servitude its churches and the Holy City of Christ, glorified by His passion and resurrection. Grieving with pious concern at this calamity, we visited the regions of Gaul and devoted ourselves largely to urging the princes of the land and their subjects to free the churches of the East. We solemnly enjoined upon them at the council of Auvergne (the accomplishment of) such an undertaking, as a preparation for the remission of all their sins. And we have constituted our most beloved son, Adhemar, Bishop of Puy, leader of this expedition and undertaking in our stead, so that those who, perchance, may wish to undertake this journey should comply With his commands, as if they were our own, and submit fully to his loosings or bindings, as far as shall seem to belong to such an office. If, moreover, there are any of your people whom God has inspired to this vow, let them know that he (Adhemar) will set out with the aid of God on the day of the Assumption of the Blessed Mary, and that they can then attach themselves to his following.
Speech by Pope Urban II, calling for the First Crusade (1195)
Most beloved brethren: Urged by necessity, I, Urban, by the permission of God chief bishop and prelate over the whole world, have come into these parts as an ambassador with a divine admonition to you, the servants of God. I hoped to find you as faithful and as zealous in the service of God as I had supposed you to be. But if there is in you any deformity or crookedness contrary to God's law, with divine help I will do my best to remove it. For God has put you as stewards over his family to minister to it. Happy indeed will you be if he finds you faithful in your stewardship. You are called shepherds; see that you do not act as hirelings. But be true shepherds, with your crooks always in your hands. Do not go to sleep, but guard on all sides the flock committed to you. For if through your carelessness or negligence a wolf carries away one of your sheep, you will surely lose the reward laid up for you with God. And after you have been bitterly scourged with remorse for your faults-, you will be fiercely overwhelmed in hell, the abode of death. For according to the gospel you are the salt of the earth [Matt. 5:13]. But if you fall short in your duty, how, it may be asked, can it be salted? O how great the need of salting! It is indeed necessary for you to correct with the salt of wisdom this foolish people which is so devoted to the pleasures of this -world, lest the Lord, when He may wish to speak to them, find them putrefied by their sins unsalted and stinking. For if He, shall find worms, that is, sins, In them, because you have been negligent in your duty, He will command them as worthless to be thrown into the abyss of unclean things. And because you cannot restore to Him His great loss, He will surely condemn you and drive you from His loving presence. But the man who applies this salt should be prudent, provident, modest, learned, peaceable, watchful, pious, just, equitable, and pure. For how can the ignorant teach others? How can the licentious make others modest? And how can the impure make others pure? If anyone hates peace, how can he make others peaceable ? Or if anyone has soiled his hands with baseness, how can he cleanse the impurities of another? We read also that if the blind lead the blind, both will fall into the ditch [Matt. 15:14]. But first correct yourselves, in order that, free from blame , you may be able to correct those who are subject to you. If you wish to be the friends of God, gladly do the things which you know will please Him. You must especially let all matters that pertain to the church be controlled by the law of the church. And be careful that simony does not take root among you, lest both those who buy and those who sell [church offices] be beaten with the scourges of the Lord through narrow streets and driven into the place of destruction and confusion. Keep the church and the clergy in all its grades entirely free from the secular power. See that the tithes that belong to God are faithfully paid from all the produce of the land; let them not be sold or withheld. If anyone seizes a bishop let him be treated as an outlaw. If anyone seizes or robs monks, or clergymen, or nuns, or their servants, or pilgrims, or merchants, let him be anathema [that is, cursed]. Let robbers and incendiaries and all their accomplices be expelled from the church and anthematized. If a man who does not give a part of his goods as alms is punished with the damnation of hell, how should he be punished who robs another of his goods? For thus it happened to the rich man in the gospel [Luke 16:19]; he was not punished because he had stolen the goods of another, but because he had not used well the things which were his.
"You have seen for a long time the great disorder in the world caused by these crimes. It is so bad in some of your provinces, I am told, and you are so weak in the administration of justice, that one can hardly go along the road by day or night without being attacked by robbers; and whether at home or abroad one is in danger of being despoiled either by force or fraud. Therefore it is necessary to reenact the truce, as it is commonly called, which was proclaimed a long time ago by our holy fathers. I exhort and demand that you, each, try hard to have the truce kept in your diocese. And if anyone shall be led by his cupidity or arrogance to break this truce, by the authority of God and with the sanction of this council he shall be anathematized."
After these and various other matters had been attended to, all who were present, clergy and people, gave thanks to God and agreed to the pope's proposition. They all faithfully promised to keep the decrees. Then the pope said that in another part of the world Christianity was suffering from a state of affairs that was worse than the one just mentioned. He continued:
"Although, O sons of God, you have promised more firmly than ever to keep the peace among yourselves and to preserve the rights of the church, there remains still an important work for you to do. Freshly quickened by the divine correction, you must apply the strength of your righteousness to another matter which concerns you as well as God. For your brethren who live in the east are in urgent need of your help, and you must hasten to give them the aid which has often been promised them. For, as the most of you have heard, the Turks and Arabs have attacked them and have conquered the territory of Romania [the Greek empire] as far west as the shore of the Mediterranean and the Hellespont, which is called the Arm of St. George. They have occupied more and more of the lands of those Christians, and have overcome them in seven battles. They have killed and captured many, and have destroyed the churches and devastated the empire. If you permit them to continue thus for awhile with impurity, the faithful of God will be much more widely attacked by them. On this account I, or rather the Lord, beseech you as Christ's heralds to publish this everywhere and to persuade all people of whatever rank, foot-soldiers and knights, poor and rich, to carry aid promptly to those Christians and to destroy that vile race from the lands of our friends. I say this to those who are present, it meant also for those who are absent. Moreover, Christ commands it.
"All who die by the way, whether by land or by sea, or in battle against the pagans, shall have immediate remission of sins. This I grant them through the power of God with which I am invested. O what a disgrace if such a despised and base race, which worships demons, should conquer a people which has the faith of omnipotent God and is made glorious with the Name of Christ! With what reproaches will the Lord overwhelm us if you do not aid those who, with us, profess the Christian religion! Let those who have been accustomed unjustly to wage private warfare against the faithful now go against the infidels and end with victory this war which should have been begun long ago. Let those who for a long time, have been robbers, now become knights. Let those who have been fighting against their brothers and relatives now fight in a proper way against the barbarians. Let those who have been serving as mercenaries for small pay now obtain the eternal reward. Let those who have been wearing themselves out in both body and soul now work for a double honor. Behold! on this side will be the sorrowful and poor, on that, the rich; on this side, the enemies of the Lord, on that, His friends. Let those who go not put off the journey, but rent their lands and collect money for their expenses; and as soon as winter is over and spring comes, let hem eagerly set out on the way with God as their guide."
Monday, 28 September 2015
Lachish Reliefs
Author: Artisans under King Sennacherib
Date written: Circa 701 BC
Location created in: Assyria (probably in Nineveh, where they were found.)
Purpose: To show the defeat of Assyria`s enemies at the hands of King Sennacherib
Other notes:
These reliefs collectively tell a story of the defeat of the Judeans at Lachish (about twenty miles south-west of Jerusalem).
It is of particular interest to those who want to see a visual representation of the Judeans of which this is the first ever found; some 500 years after they were mentioned collectively as ``Israel`` on the Egyptian Merneptah stele.
Before the siege, Lachish was regarded as being second only to Jerusalem in power (within the Kingdom of Judah.)
Table of Contents
I) Images of reliefs
II) Translation of text
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| Relief 9, from the British Museum |
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| Relief 10, from the British Museum
An inscription on part of relief is above Sennacherib`s throne reads:
"Sennacherib, King of the Universe, king of Assyria, sits on a throne and the spoils of Lachish are paraded before him.``
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Sunday, 27 September 2015
Sennacherib Prism
Author: A scribe under King Sennacherib
Date written: Between 681 and 691 BC
Location written in: Assyria
Genre: Record of military campaign
Other notes:
This Prism, as known as The Taylor Prism gives details about the military conquest of the Assyrians under King Sennacherib. It is of interest to Biblical archaeologists who want to know more about the assault against Judah.
King Sennacherib's interaction with the surviving city of Jerusalem can be read in 2 Kings 18:13-37, 2 Kings 19, and 2 Chronicles 32.
The text reads as follows:
Sennacherib, the great king,
the mighty king,
king of the world,
king of Assyria,
3king of the four quarters,
the wise shepherd,
favorite of the great gods,
guardian of right,
lover of justice,
who lends support,
who comes to the aid of the destitute,
who performs pious acts,
7perfect hero,
mighty man,
8first among all princes,
the powerful one who consumes 9the insubmissive,
who strikes the wicked with the thunderbolt;
10the god Assur, the great mountain, an unrivaled kinship 11has entrusted to me, and above all those 12who dwell in palaces, has made powerful my weapons;13from the upper sea of the setting sun 14to the lower sea of the rising sun, 15he has brought the black-headed people in submission at my feet; 16and mighty kings feared my warfare, 17leaving their homes and 18flying alone, like the sidinnu, the bird of the cave, 19to some inaccessible place.
20In my first campaign I accomplished the defeat of Morodach-baladan, 21king of Babylonia, together with the army of Elam, 22his ally, on the plain of Kish.23In the midst of that battle he deserted his camp, 24and he escaped alone, so he saved his own life. 25The chariots, horses, wagons, mules, 26which he left behind at the beginning of the battle 27my hands siezed. Into his palace, which is in 28Babylon, I entered jubilantly. 29I opened his treasure-house: gold, silver, vessels of god and silver, 30precious stones of every name, goods and property 31without limit, heavy tribute, his harem, 32courtiers and officials, singers;male and 33female & emdash;all his artisans, 34as many as there were, his palace servants 35I brought out, and I counted as spoil. In the might of Assur 36my lord, seventy-five of his strong walled cities 37of Chaldea, and 420 small cities 38of their area I surrounded, I conquered, I carried off their spoil.39The Arabs, Arameans, and Chaldeans 40who were in Erech, Nippur, Kish, Harsagkalamma, 41Kutha and Sippar, together with the citizens, 42the rebels I brought out and counted as booty.
43On my return, the Tu'muna, 44Rihihu, Yadakku, Ubudu, 45Kibrê, Malahu, Gurumu, 46Ubulu, Damunu, Gambulu, 47Hindaru, Ru'ûa, Bukudu, 48Hamrânu, Hagarânu, Nabatu, 49Li'tâu, Arameans who were not submissive&emdash; 50I conquered all of them. 208,000 people, great and small, 51male and female, horses, mules, asses, 52camels, cattle and sheep, without number; 53a heavy booty&emdash;I carried off to Assyria
54In the course of my campaign, I received from Nabû-bêl-shumâte, 55governor of the city of Hararate: gold silver, great musukkani-trees, 56asses, camels, cattle, and sheep 57as his onerous contribution. The warriors of 58Hirimme, wicked enemies, I cut down with the sword. 59No one escaped. Their corpses 60I hung on stakes, surrounding the city (with them). 61That district I reorganized: one ox, 62ten lambs, ten homers of wine, twenty homers of dates, 63its choicest, for the gods of Assyria, 64my lords, I established for all time.
65In my second campaign, Assur, my lord, encouraged me, and 66against the land of the Kassites and the land of the Yasubigallai, 67who from of old had not been submissive to the kings, my ancestors, 68I marched. In the midst of the high mountains 69I rode on horseback where the terrain was difficult, 70and had my chariot drawn up with ropes: 71where it became too steep, I clambered up on foot like the wild-ox. 72The cities of Bît-Kilamzah, Hardishpi 73and Bît-Kubatti, their strong, walled cities, 74I besieged, I captured. People, horses, 75mules, asses, cattle, and sheep, 76I brought out from their midst and counted as booty. 77And their small cities, which were beyond numbering 78I destroyed, I devastated, and I turned into ruins. The houses of the steppe, (namely) the tents,79in which they lived, I set on fire and 80turned them into flames. I turned round, and 81made that Bît-Kilamzah into a fortress; 82I made its walls stronger than they had ever been before;
COLUMN 2
1and settled in it people of the lands my hands had conquered. 2The people of the land of the Kassites and the land of the Yasubigallai, 3who had fled before my arms, 4I brought down out of the mountains and 5settled them in Hardishpi and Bît-Kubatti. 6Into the hand of my official, the governor of Arapha, 7I placed them. I had a stele made, and 8the might of my conquering hand which I had 9established upon them, I had inscribed on it. 10I set it up in the midst of the city.
The front of my yoke I turned around and 11took the road to the land of the Elippi. 12Before me Ispabâra, their king, 13abandoned his strong cities, his treasurehouses, 14and fled to the distant parts.15Over the whole of his wide land I swept like a hurricane. 16The cities Marubishti and Akkuddu, 17his royal residence-cities, together with 34 small towns 18of their area, I besieged, I captured, I destroyed, I devastated, 19I burned with fire. The people, great and small, male and female, 20horses, mules, asses, camels, 21cattle, and sheep, without number I carried off. 22I brought him to nothing; I diminished his land.
23Sisirtu and Kummahlum, 24strong cities, together with the small towns in their areas, 25the district of Bît-Barrû in its totality, 26I cut off from his land and added it to the territory of Assyria.27Elenzash I turned into the royal city 28and stronghold of that district. 29I changed its former name, calling its name Kar-Sennacherib. 30Peoples of the lands my hands had conquered 31I settled in it. To my official, 32the governor of Harhar, I handed it over. Thus I extended my land.
33-35On my return, I received the heavy tribute of the distant Medes, whose name none of the kings, my fathers, had ever heard. 36I made them submit to the yoke of my rule.
37In my third campaign, I went against the Hittite-land. 38Lulê, king of Sidon, the terrifying splendor 39of my sovereignty overcame him, and far off 40into the midst of the sea he fled. There he died.41Great Sidon, Little Sidon, 42Bît-Zitti, Zaribtu, Mahalliba, 43Ushu, Akzib, Akko, 44his strong, walled cities, where there were fodder and drink, 45for his garrisons, the terrors of the weapon of Assur,46my lord, overpowered them and they bowed in submission at my feet. 47I seated Tuba'lu on the royal throne 48over them, and tribute, gifts for my majesty, 49I imposed upon him for all time, without ceasing.
50From Menachem, the Shamsimurunite, 51Tuba'lu the Sidonite, 52Abdi-liti the Arvadite, 53Uru-milki the Gublite, 54Mitinti the Ashdodite 55Budu-ilu the Beth Ammonite, 56Kammusu-nadbi the Moabite, 57Malik-rammu the Edomite, 58kings of Amurru, all of them, numerous presents 59as their heavy tribute, 60they brought before me for the fourth time, and kissed my feet.
But Sidka, 61the king of Ashkelon, who had not submitted 62to my yoke, the gods of his father's house, himself, his wife, 63his sons, his daughters, his brothers, the seed of his paternal house, 64I tore away and brought to Assyria. 65Sharru-lu-dari, son of Rukibti, their former king, 66I set over the people of Ashkelon, and 67I imposed upon him the payment of tribute: presents to my majesty. 68He accepted my yoke. In the course of my campaign, 69Beth-Dagon, Joppa, 70Banaibarka, Asuru, cities 71of Sidka, who had not speedily bowed in 72submission at my feet, I besieged, I conquered, I carried off their spoil.
73The officials, nobles, and people of Ekron, 74who had thrown Padi their king&emdash;bound by oath and curse of Assyria; 75into fetters of iron and 76-77had given him over to Hezekiah, the Judahite;he kept him in confinement like an enemy; 78their heart became afraid, 79and they called upon the Egyptian kings, the bowmen, chariots and horses 80of the king of Meluhha, a countless host, and 81these came to their aid. 82In the neighborhood of Eltekeh, 83their ranks being drawn up before me,
COLUMN 3
1they offered battle. With the aid of Assur, 2my lord, I fought with them and 3brought about their defeat. The Egyptian charioteers and princes, 4together with the Ethiopian king's charioteers, 5my hands captured alive in the midst of the battle. 6Eltekeh and Timnah 7I besieged, I captured, and I took away their spoil.
8I approached Ekron and slew the governors and nobles 9who had rebelled, and 10hung their bodies on stakes around the city. The inhabitants 11who rebelled and treated (Assyria) lightly I counted as spoil. 12The rest of them, who were not guilty of rebellion 13and contempt, for whom there was no punishment, 14I declared their pardon. Padi, their king, 15I brought out to Jerusalem, 16set him on the royal throne over them, and 17imposed upon him my royal tribute.
18As for Hezekiah the Judahite, 19who did not submit to my yoke: forty-six of his strong, walled cities, as well as 20the small towns in their area, 21which were without number, by levelling with battering-rams 22and by bringing up seige-engines, and by attacking and storming on foot, 23by mines, tunnels, and breeches, I besieged and took them. 24200,150 people, great and small, male and female, 25horses, mules, asses, camels, 26cattle and sheep without number, I brought away from them 27and counted as spoil. (Hezekiah) himself, like a caged bird 28I shut up in Jerusalem, his royal city. 29I threw up earthworks against him; 30the one coming out of the city-gate, I turned back to his misery. 31His cities, which I had despoiled, I cut off from his land, and 32to Mitinti, king of Ashdod, 33Padi, king of Ekron, and Silli-bêl, 34king of Gaza, I gave (them). And thus I diminished his land. 35I added to the former tribute, 36and I lad upon him the surrender of their land and imposts;gifts for my majesty. 37As for Hezekiah, 38the terrifying splendor of my majesty overcame him, and 39the Arabs and his mercenary troops which he had brought in to strengthen40Jerusalem, his royal city, 41deserted him. In addition to the thirty talents of gold and 42eight hundred talents of silver, gems, antimony, 43jewels, large carnelians, ivory-inlaid couches, 44ivory-inlaid chairs, elephant hides, elephant tusks, 45ebony, boxwood, all kinds of valuable treasures, 46as well as his daughters, his harem, his male and female 47musicians, which he had brought after me 48to Nineveh, my royal city. To pay tribute 49and to accept servitude, he dispatched his messengers.
50In my fourth campaign, Assur, my lord, gave me courage, and 51I mustered my numerous troops and gave the 52command to proceed against Bît-Yakin. In the course of my campaign, 53I accomplished the overthrow of Shuzubi, the Chaldean, who sat in the midst of the swamps, 54at Bitûtu. 55That one, the terror of my battle fell upon him, and 56tore his heart; like a criminal he fled alone, and 57his place was seen no more.
The front of my yoke I turned and 58and I took the way to Bît-Yakin. 59That Merodach-baladan, whose defeat I had brought about 60in the course of my first campaign, and whose forces I had shattered, 61the roar of my mighty arms 62and the onset of my terrible battle he feared and 63he gathered together the gods of his whole land in their shrines, 64and loaded them into ships and fled65like a bird to Nagite-rakki, which is in the middle of the sea. His brothers, 66the seed of his father's house, whom he had left by the seashore, 67together with the rest of the people of his land, 68I brought out of Bît-Yakin, from the midst of the swamps and canebrakes, 69and counted as spoil. I turned about and ruined and devastated his cities; 70I made them like ruin-heaps. Upon his ally, the king of Elam, 71I poured out my terror. On my return, 72I placed on his (Merodach-baladan's) royal throne, 73Assur-nâdin-shum, my oldest son, offspring of my knees. 74I placed him in charge of the wide land of Sumer and Akkad.
75In my fifth campaign, the warriors of Tumurru, 76Sharum, Ezama, Kibshu, Halgidda, 77Kua, and Kana&emdash;whose abodes 78-79were set on the peak of Mt. Nipur, a steep mountain, like the nests of the eagle, king of birds; were not submissive to my yoke. 80I had my camp pitched at the foot of Mt. Nipur and 81with my choice bodyguard
COLUMN 4
1and my relentless warriors, 2I, like a strong wild-ox, went before them. 3-4I surmounted gullies, mountain torrents and waterfalls, dangerous cliffs in my sedan-chair. 5Where it was too steep for my chair, I advanced on foot. 6Like a young gazelle, I mounted the highest peakss pursuing them. 7Wherever my knees found a resting-place, 8I sat down on some mountain boulder and drank the cold water from a waterskin 9for my thirst. To the summits 10of the mountains I pursued them and brought about 11their overthrow. I captured their cities and carried off their spoil, 12I destroyed, I devastated, I burned with fire.
The front of my yoke 13I turned. Against Maniae, king of Ukku 14of the land of Daie, who was not submissive, I took the road. 15-17Before my day, none of the kings who lived before me, had traveled the unblazed trails and wearisome paths which run along these rugged mountains. 18At the foot of Mt. Anara and Mt. Uppa, mighty mountains, 19I had my camp pitched, and on a house-chair I20together with my seasoned warriors, 21made my wearisome way through their narrow passes, 22and with great difficulty climbed to the highest peak of the mountains. 23That Maniae saw the clouds of dust raised by the feet of my armies, 24abandoned Ukku, his royal city, 25and fled to distant parts. 26I besieged Ukku, I captured it, and took away its spoil. All kinds of goods and merchandise, 27the treasure of his palace, 28I carried away from it and counted it as booty. Furthermore, 33 cities 29within the bounds of his province I captured. People, asses, cattle 30and sheep, I carried away from them as spoil. 31I destroyed, I devastated, and I burned with fire.
32In my sixth campaign the rest of the people of Bît-Yakin, 33who had run off before my powerful weapons like wild asses, 34who had gathered together the gods of their whole land in their shrines, had 35crossed the great sea of the rising sun and 36in Nagitu of Elam had established their abodes; 37in Hittite ships I crossed the sea. Nagitu 38Nagitu-di'bina, together with the lands of Hilmu, Billatu 39and Hupapanu, provinces of Elam, I conquered. 40The people of Bît-Yakin, together with their gods, and the people 41of the king of Elam, I carried off; 42not a rebel escaped. I had them loaded in vessels, 43brought over to this side, and started on the way 44to Assyria. The cities which were in those 45provinces I destroyed, I devastated, I burned with fire. Into tells and ruins 46I turned them. On my return, Shuzubu, 47the Babylonian, who during an uprising in the land 48had turned to himself the rule of Sumer and Akkad, 49I accomplished his defeat in a battle of the plain.50I seized him alive with my own hands, I threw him into bonds and fetters of iron and 51brought him to Assyria. The king of Elam, who 52had gone over to his side and had aided him, I defeated.53His forces I scattered and I shattered his army.
54In my seventh campaign, Assur, my lord, supported me, 55and I advanced against Elam. Bît-Ha'iri and 56Rasâ, cities on the border of Assyria 57which the Elamite had seized by force during the time of my father 58&emdash;in the course of my campaign I conquered and I despoiled them. 59I settled my garrisons in them 60and restored them to the borders of Assyria. 61I placed them under the commandant of Dêr. The cities of Bubê, Dunni-Shamash, Bît-Risia, 62Bît-ahlamê, Duru, Kalte-sulai 63Shilibtu, Bît-Asusi, Kar-Zêr-ikîsha, 64Bît-Gissi, Bît-Katpalani, Bît-Imbia, 65Hamânu, Bît-Arrabi, Burutu, 66Dimtu-sha-Sulai, Dimtu-sha-Marbîti-etir, 67Harri-ashlaki, Rabbai, 68Râsu, Akkabarina Tel-Uhuri, 69Hamranu, Naditu, together with the cities 70of the passes of Bît-Bunaki, tel-Humbi, 71Dimtu-sha-Dume-ilu, Bît-Ubia, 72Balti-lishir, Tagab-lishir, 73Shanakidate, the lower Masutu, 74Sar-hudiri, Alum-sha-bêlit-bîti, 75Bît-ahê-iddina, Ilte-uba, 7634 strong cities, together with the small cities 77in their areas, which were countless, 78I besieged, I conquered, I despoiled, I destroyed, I devastated, 79I burned with fire, with the smoke of their conflagration 80I covered the wide heavens like a hurricane. 81-1The Elamite, Kudur-nahundu, heard of the overthrow of his cities,
COLUMN 5
81-1The Elamite, Kudur-nahundu, heard of the overthrow of his cities, 2terror overwhelmed him, the (people of) the rest of his cities 3he brought into the strongholds. He himself 4left Madaktu, his royal city, 5and took his way to Haidala which is in the distant mountains. 6I gave the word to march against Madaktu, his royal city. 7In the month of rain, extreme cold set in and the 8heavy storms sent down rain upon rain and 9snow. I was afraid of the swollen mountain streams; 10the front of my yoke I turned and took the road to 11Nineveh. At that time, at the command of Assur, my lord, 12Kudur-Nahundu, the king of Elam, in less than three months 13died sudenly on a day not of his fate. 14After him, Umman-menanu, 15who possessed neither sense nor judgment, 16his younger brother, sat on his throne.
17In my eighth campaign, after Shuzubu had revolted, 18and the Babylonians, wicked devils, had 19closed the city-gates&emdash;their hearts planning resistance; 20Shuzubu the Chalden, a weakling hero, 21who had no knees, a slave, subject to the governor of the city of 22the city of Lahiri; the fugitive Arameans gathered around him, the runaway, 23the murderer, the bandit. Into the marshes24they descended and started a rebellion. But I completely surrounded him. 25I pressed him to the life. Through fear and hunger 26he fled to Elam. When plotting 27and treachery were hatched against him, 28he fled from Elam and entered Shuanna. The Babylonians 29placed him on the throne&emdash;for which he was not fit&emdash; 30and entrusted to him the government of Sumer and Akkad. 31They opened the treasury of the Esagila temple and the gold and silver 32belonging to Bêl [Marduk] and Sarpanit, they brought forth the property of the temples of their gods. 33And to Umman-menanu, king of Elam, who had 34neither sense nor judgment, they sent them as a bribe (saying): 35"Gather your army, prepare your camp, 36haste to Babylon, stand at our side, for37you are our trust." That Elamite&emdash; 38whose cities I had conquered and turned into ruins 39on my earlier campaign against Elam&emdash; 40without thinking 41received the bribes from them, gathered his army and camp, 42collected his chariots and wagons, and hitched his horses 43and mules to them. The lands of Parsuash 44Anzan, Pasheru, Ellipi, the men of Yazan, 45Lakabra, Harzunu, Dummuku, 46Sulai, Samuna, the son of Merodach-baladan, 47the lands of Bît-Adini, Bît-Amukkanu, Bît-Sillana, 48Bît-Sâlatutu-akki, the city of Lahiru, the men of Bukudu, 49Gambulum, Halatum Ru'ua, 50Ubulum, Malahu, Rapiku, 51Hindaru, Damunu&emdash;an enormous vassal army 52he called to his side. The largest portion of them 53-55took the road to Akkad. Closing in on Babylon, they exchanged courtesies with Shuzubu, the Chaldean king of Babylon, and brought their army to a halt. 56Like the onset of locust swarms of the springtime, 57they steadily progressed against me to offer battle. 58With the dust of their feet covering the wide heavens, 59like a mighty storm with masses of dense clouds, 60they drew up in battle array before me in the city of Halulê, on the bank of the Tigris. 61They blocked my passage and offered battle. 62-65As for me, I prayed for victory over the mighty foe to Assur, Sin, Shamash, Bêl, Nabû, Nergal, Ishtar of Nineveh, Ishtar of Arbela. 66They quickly gave ear to my prayers and came 67to my aid. Like a lion I raged; I put on 68a coat of mail. A helmet, emblem of victory, 69I placed upon my head. My great battle chariot,70which brings the foe low, 71I hurriedly mounted in the anger of my heart. The mighty bow, 72which Assur had given me, I seized in my hands; 73the javelin, piercing to the life, I grasped. 74Against all of the armies of wicked enemies, 75I cried out, rumbling like a storm. I roared like Adad. 76At the word of Assur, the great lord, my lord, on flank and front 77I pressed upon the enemy like the onset of a raging storm. 78With the weapons of Assur, my lord, and the terrible onset of my attack, 79I stopped their advance, I succeeded in surrounding them, 80I decimated the enemy host with arrow and spear. 81I bored through all of their bodies. 82Humban-undasha, the field-marshall 83of the king of Elam, a trustworthy man, commander 84of his armies, his chief support, together with his nobles 85who wear the golden belt-daggar 86-87and whose wrists are encircles with thick rings of shining gold 88like fat steers who have hobbles put on them,
COLUMN 6
1quickly I cut them down and defeated them. 2I cut their throats, 3and I cut off their precious lives like a string. Like the many waters 4of a storm, I made their gullets and entrails 5run down upon the wide earth. My prancing 6steeds harnessed for my riding plunged 7into the streams of their blood as (into) a river. The wheels of my war chariot, 8which brings the wicked and evil low, 9were spattered with blood and filth. With the bodies of their warriors 10I filled the plain like grass. Their testicles 11I cut off and tore out their privates like the seeds 12of cucumbers of Siwan. I cut off their hands. 13The heavy rings of brightest gold which were on their wrists 14I took away. With sharp swords 15I pierced their belts and took away 16the belt-daggars of gold and silver which were on their persons. The rest of his nobles, together with Nabû-shum-ishkun, 17son of Moerodach-baladan, who was frightened at my onslaught 18and had gone over to their side, my hands 19seized in the midst of the battle. The chariots and their horses, 20whose riders had been slain at the beginning of the terrible battle, 21and who had been left to themselves, 22kept running back and forth 23for two double-hours; I stopped their headlong flight. 24That Umman-menanu, king of Elam, 25together with the king of Babylon and the princes of Chaldea, 26who had gone over to their side, the terror of my battle 27overturned their bodies like a bull. They abandoned their tents; 28and to save their lives, they trampled 29the bodies of their soldiers; they fled like young pigeons 30that are pursued. Their hearts were torn; 31they held their urine, but let their dung go into their chariots. 32In pursuit of them, 33I dispatched my chariots and horses after them. 34Those among them who had escaped, who had fled for their lives, 35wherever they [the charioteers] met them, they cut them down with the sword.
36After that time;after I had completed the palace 37in the midst of the city of Nineveh for my royal residence, 38had filled it with beautiful furnishings, to the astonishment of all the people; 39the side-palace, which the former kings, 40my ancestors, had built 41for the care of the camp, the stabling of the horses, and general storage, 42had no terrace, that its site was too small, 43that its construction had not been skillfuly done, that, as the days went by, its foundation-platform 44had become weak, its foundation had given way and its roof had falen in. 45I tore down that palace in its entirety. 46A large tract of land in the meadows 47and environs of the city I confiscated, according to plan, 48and added to it. The site of the former palace 49I abandoned. With the ground of the meadows 50which I had seized from the riverflats, I filled in a terrace, 51I raised its top 200 tipki (thickness of brick) on high. In a favorable month 52on an auspicious day, on the top of that terrace, 53following the cunning of my heart, a palace of limestone 54and cedar, of Hittite workmanship also a 55lofty palace of Assyrian workmanship, which 56far surpassed the former one in size and beauty, 57according to the plan of wise architects, 58I had them build for my royal residence. 59Mighty cedar beams, the product of Amanus, the shining mountain, 60I stretched over them. Door-leaves of liari-wood I 61covered with a sheathing of bright bronze and set up 62in their doors. Out of white limestone, 63which is found in the land of the city of Baladai, 64I had mighty statues fashioned and 65positioned on the right and left of the entrances. For the equipment of the 66black-headed people, the stabling of horses, mules, colts, 67riding camels, chariots, wagons, carts, quivers, 68bows and arrows, all kinds of battle equipment: 69teams of horses and mules which 70possessed enormous strength, and were broken to the yoke. 71I greatly enlarged its court of the gates. That palace, from its foundation 72to its coping, I constructed, I finished. A stele 73with my name inscribed on it I set up in it. In the days to come 74among the kings, my sons, whose name Assur75and Ishtar shall name for the rule of land and people, 76when that palace shall become old and ruined, 77may some future prince restore its ruins, look upon 78the stele with my name inscribed on it, anoint it with oil, 79pour out a libation upon it, and return it to its place. Then Assur and Ishtar 80will hear his prayers. He who destroys my inscription and my name; 81may Assur, the great lord, the father of the gods, 82treat him as an enemy, 83take away the scepter and throne from him, and overthrow his rule. 84The month of Tammuz; eponym of Gahilu, 85governor of Hatarikka.
Date written: Between 681 and 691 BC
Location written in: Assyria
Genre: Record of military campaign
Other notes:
This Prism, as known as The Taylor Prism gives details about the military conquest of the Assyrians under King Sennacherib. It is of interest to Biblical archaeologists who want to know more about the assault against Judah.
King Sennacherib's interaction with the surviving city of Jerusalem can be read in 2 Kings 18:13-37, 2 Kings 19, and 2 Chronicles 32.
The text reads as follows:
Sennacherib, the great king,
the mighty king,
king of the world,
king of Assyria,
3king of the four quarters,
the wise shepherd,
favorite of the great gods,
guardian of right,
lover of justice,
who lends support,
who comes to the aid of the destitute,
who performs pious acts,
7perfect hero,
mighty man,
8first among all princes,
the powerful one who consumes 9the insubmissive,
who strikes the wicked with the thunderbolt;
10the god Assur, the great mountain, an unrivaled kinship 11has entrusted to me, and above all those 12who dwell in palaces, has made powerful my weapons;13from the upper sea of the setting sun 14to the lower sea of the rising sun, 15he has brought the black-headed people in submission at my feet; 16and mighty kings feared my warfare, 17leaving their homes and 18flying alone, like the sidinnu, the bird of the cave, 19to some inaccessible place.
20In my first campaign I accomplished the defeat of Morodach-baladan, 21king of Babylonia, together with the army of Elam, 22his ally, on the plain of Kish.23In the midst of that battle he deserted his camp, 24and he escaped alone, so he saved his own life. 25The chariots, horses, wagons, mules, 26which he left behind at the beginning of the battle 27my hands siezed. Into his palace, which is in 28Babylon, I entered jubilantly. 29I opened his treasure-house: gold, silver, vessels of god and silver, 30precious stones of every name, goods and property 31without limit, heavy tribute, his harem, 32courtiers and officials, singers;male and 33female & emdash;all his artisans, 34as many as there were, his palace servants 35I brought out, and I counted as spoil. In the might of Assur 36my lord, seventy-five of his strong walled cities 37of Chaldea, and 420 small cities 38of their area I surrounded, I conquered, I carried off their spoil.39The Arabs, Arameans, and Chaldeans 40who were in Erech, Nippur, Kish, Harsagkalamma, 41Kutha and Sippar, together with the citizens, 42the rebels I brought out and counted as booty.
43On my return, the Tu'muna, 44Rihihu, Yadakku, Ubudu, 45Kibrê, Malahu, Gurumu, 46Ubulu, Damunu, Gambulu, 47Hindaru, Ru'ûa, Bukudu, 48Hamrânu, Hagarânu, Nabatu, 49Li'tâu, Arameans who were not submissive&emdash; 50I conquered all of them. 208,000 people, great and small, 51male and female, horses, mules, asses, 52camels, cattle and sheep, without number; 53a heavy booty&emdash;I carried off to Assyria
54In the course of my campaign, I received from Nabû-bêl-shumâte, 55governor of the city of Hararate: gold silver, great musukkani-trees, 56asses, camels, cattle, and sheep 57as his onerous contribution. The warriors of 58Hirimme, wicked enemies, I cut down with the sword. 59No one escaped. Their corpses 60I hung on stakes, surrounding the city (with them). 61That district I reorganized: one ox, 62ten lambs, ten homers of wine, twenty homers of dates, 63its choicest, for the gods of Assyria, 64my lords, I established for all time.
65In my second campaign, Assur, my lord, encouraged me, and 66against the land of the Kassites and the land of the Yasubigallai, 67who from of old had not been submissive to the kings, my ancestors, 68I marched. In the midst of the high mountains 69I rode on horseback where the terrain was difficult, 70and had my chariot drawn up with ropes: 71where it became too steep, I clambered up on foot like the wild-ox. 72The cities of Bît-Kilamzah, Hardishpi 73and Bît-Kubatti, their strong, walled cities, 74I besieged, I captured. People, horses, 75mules, asses, cattle, and sheep, 76I brought out from their midst and counted as booty. 77And their small cities, which were beyond numbering 78I destroyed, I devastated, and I turned into ruins. The houses of the steppe, (namely) the tents,79in which they lived, I set on fire and 80turned them into flames. I turned round, and 81made that Bît-Kilamzah into a fortress; 82I made its walls stronger than they had ever been before;
The front of my yoke I turned around and 11took the road to the land of the Elippi. 12Before me Ispabâra, their king, 13abandoned his strong cities, his treasurehouses, 14and fled to the distant parts.15Over the whole of his wide land I swept like a hurricane. 16The cities Marubishti and Akkuddu, 17his royal residence-cities, together with 34 small towns 18of their area, I besieged, I captured, I destroyed, I devastated, 19I burned with fire. The people, great and small, male and female, 20horses, mules, asses, camels, 21cattle, and sheep, without number I carried off. 22I brought him to nothing; I diminished his land.
23Sisirtu and Kummahlum, 24strong cities, together with the small towns in their areas, 25the district of Bît-Barrû in its totality, 26I cut off from his land and added it to the territory of Assyria.27Elenzash I turned into the royal city 28and stronghold of that district. 29I changed its former name, calling its name Kar-Sennacherib. 30Peoples of the lands my hands had conquered 31I settled in it. To my official, 32the governor of Harhar, I handed it over. Thus I extended my land.
33-35On my return, I received the heavy tribute of the distant Medes, whose name none of the kings, my fathers, had ever heard. 36I made them submit to the yoke of my rule.
37In my third campaign, I went against the Hittite-land. 38Lulê, king of Sidon, the terrifying splendor 39of my sovereignty overcame him, and far off 40into the midst of the sea he fled. There he died.41Great Sidon, Little Sidon, 42Bît-Zitti, Zaribtu, Mahalliba, 43Ushu, Akzib, Akko, 44his strong, walled cities, where there were fodder and drink, 45for his garrisons, the terrors of the weapon of Assur,46my lord, overpowered them and they bowed in submission at my feet. 47I seated Tuba'lu on the royal throne 48over them, and tribute, gifts for my majesty, 49I imposed upon him for all time, without ceasing.
50From Menachem, the Shamsimurunite, 51Tuba'lu the Sidonite, 52Abdi-liti the Arvadite, 53Uru-milki the Gublite, 54Mitinti the Ashdodite 55Budu-ilu the Beth Ammonite, 56Kammusu-nadbi the Moabite, 57Malik-rammu the Edomite, 58kings of Amurru, all of them, numerous presents 59as their heavy tribute, 60they brought before me for the fourth time, and kissed my feet.
But Sidka, 61the king of Ashkelon, who had not submitted 62to my yoke, the gods of his father's house, himself, his wife, 63his sons, his daughters, his brothers, the seed of his paternal house, 64I tore away and brought to Assyria. 65Sharru-lu-dari, son of Rukibti, their former king, 66I set over the people of Ashkelon, and 67I imposed upon him the payment of tribute: presents to my majesty. 68He accepted my yoke. In the course of my campaign, 69Beth-Dagon, Joppa, 70Banaibarka, Asuru, cities 71of Sidka, who had not speedily bowed in 72submission at my feet, I besieged, I conquered, I carried off their spoil.
73The officials, nobles, and people of Ekron, 74who had thrown Padi their king&emdash;bound by oath and curse of Assyria; 75into fetters of iron and 76-77had given him over to Hezekiah, the Judahite;he kept him in confinement like an enemy; 78their heart became afraid, 79and they called upon the Egyptian kings, the bowmen, chariots and horses 80of the king of Meluhha, a countless host, and 81these came to their aid. 82In the neighborhood of Eltekeh, 83their ranks being drawn up before me,
8I approached Ekron and slew the governors and nobles 9who had rebelled, and 10hung their bodies on stakes around the city. The inhabitants 11who rebelled and treated (Assyria) lightly I counted as spoil. 12The rest of them, who were not guilty of rebellion 13and contempt, for whom there was no punishment, 14I declared their pardon. Padi, their king, 15I brought out to Jerusalem, 16set him on the royal throne over them, and 17imposed upon him my royal tribute.
18As for Hezekiah the Judahite, 19who did not submit to my yoke: forty-six of his strong, walled cities, as well as 20the small towns in their area, 21which were without number, by levelling with battering-rams 22and by bringing up seige-engines, and by attacking and storming on foot, 23by mines, tunnels, and breeches, I besieged and took them. 24200,150 people, great and small, male and female, 25horses, mules, asses, camels, 26cattle and sheep without number, I brought away from them 27and counted as spoil. (Hezekiah) himself, like a caged bird 28I shut up in Jerusalem, his royal city. 29I threw up earthworks against him; 30the one coming out of the city-gate, I turned back to his misery. 31His cities, which I had despoiled, I cut off from his land, and 32to Mitinti, king of Ashdod, 33Padi, king of Ekron, and Silli-bêl, 34king of Gaza, I gave (them). And thus I diminished his land. 35I added to the former tribute, 36and I lad upon him the surrender of their land and imposts;gifts for my majesty. 37As for Hezekiah, 38the terrifying splendor of my majesty overcame him, and 39the Arabs and his mercenary troops which he had brought in to strengthen40Jerusalem, his royal city, 41deserted him. In addition to the thirty talents of gold and 42eight hundred talents of silver, gems, antimony, 43jewels, large carnelians, ivory-inlaid couches, 44ivory-inlaid chairs, elephant hides, elephant tusks, 45ebony, boxwood, all kinds of valuable treasures, 46as well as his daughters, his harem, his male and female 47musicians, which he had brought after me 48to Nineveh, my royal city. To pay tribute 49and to accept servitude, he dispatched his messengers.
50In my fourth campaign, Assur, my lord, gave me courage, and 51I mustered my numerous troops and gave the 52command to proceed against Bît-Yakin. In the course of my campaign, 53I accomplished the overthrow of Shuzubi, the Chaldean, who sat in the midst of the swamps, 54at Bitûtu. 55That one, the terror of my battle fell upon him, and 56tore his heart; like a criminal he fled alone, and 57his place was seen no more.
The front of my yoke I turned and 58and I took the way to Bît-Yakin. 59That Merodach-baladan, whose defeat I had brought about 60in the course of my first campaign, and whose forces I had shattered, 61the roar of my mighty arms 62and the onset of my terrible battle he feared and 63he gathered together the gods of his whole land in their shrines, 64and loaded them into ships and fled65like a bird to Nagite-rakki, which is in the middle of the sea. His brothers, 66the seed of his father's house, whom he had left by the seashore, 67together with the rest of the people of his land, 68I brought out of Bît-Yakin, from the midst of the swamps and canebrakes, 69and counted as spoil. I turned about and ruined and devastated his cities; 70I made them like ruin-heaps. Upon his ally, the king of Elam, 71I poured out my terror. On my return, 72I placed on his (Merodach-baladan's) royal throne, 73Assur-nâdin-shum, my oldest son, offspring of my knees. 74I placed him in charge of the wide land of Sumer and Akkad.
75In my fifth campaign, the warriors of Tumurru, 76Sharum, Ezama, Kibshu, Halgidda, 77Kua, and Kana&emdash;whose abodes 78-79were set on the peak of Mt. Nipur, a steep mountain, like the nests of the eagle, king of birds; were not submissive to my yoke. 80I had my camp pitched at the foot of Mt. Nipur and 81with my choice bodyguard
The front of my yoke 13I turned. Against Maniae, king of Ukku 14of the land of Daie, who was not submissive, I took the road. 15-17Before my day, none of the kings who lived before me, had traveled the unblazed trails and wearisome paths which run along these rugged mountains. 18At the foot of Mt. Anara and Mt. Uppa, mighty mountains, 19I had my camp pitched, and on a house-chair I20together with my seasoned warriors, 21made my wearisome way through their narrow passes, 22and with great difficulty climbed to the highest peak of the mountains. 23That Maniae saw the clouds of dust raised by the feet of my armies, 24abandoned Ukku, his royal city, 25and fled to distant parts. 26I besieged Ukku, I captured it, and took away its spoil. All kinds of goods and merchandise, 27the treasure of his palace, 28I carried away from it and counted it as booty. Furthermore, 33 cities 29within the bounds of his province I captured. People, asses, cattle 30and sheep, I carried away from them as spoil. 31I destroyed, I devastated, and I burned with fire.
32In my sixth campaign the rest of the people of Bît-Yakin, 33who had run off before my powerful weapons like wild asses, 34who had gathered together the gods of their whole land in their shrines, had 35crossed the great sea of the rising sun and 36in Nagitu of Elam had established their abodes; 37in Hittite ships I crossed the sea. Nagitu 38Nagitu-di'bina, together with the lands of Hilmu, Billatu 39and Hupapanu, provinces of Elam, I conquered. 40The people of Bît-Yakin, together with their gods, and the people 41of the king of Elam, I carried off; 42not a rebel escaped. I had them loaded in vessels, 43brought over to this side, and started on the way 44to Assyria. The cities which were in those 45provinces I destroyed, I devastated, I burned with fire. Into tells and ruins 46I turned them. On my return, Shuzubu, 47the Babylonian, who during an uprising in the land 48had turned to himself the rule of Sumer and Akkad, 49I accomplished his defeat in a battle of the plain.50I seized him alive with my own hands, I threw him into bonds and fetters of iron and 51brought him to Assyria. The king of Elam, who 52had gone over to his side and had aided him, I defeated.53His forces I scattered and I shattered his army.
54In my seventh campaign, Assur, my lord, supported me, 55and I advanced against Elam. Bît-Ha'iri and 56Rasâ, cities on the border of Assyria 57which the Elamite had seized by force during the time of my father 58&emdash;in the course of my campaign I conquered and I despoiled them. 59I settled my garrisons in them 60and restored them to the borders of Assyria. 61I placed them under the commandant of Dêr. The cities of Bubê, Dunni-Shamash, Bît-Risia, 62Bît-ahlamê, Duru, Kalte-sulai 63Shilibtu, Bît-Asusi, Kar-Zêr-ikîsha, 64Bît-Gissi, Bît-Katpalani, Bît-Imbia, 65Hamânu, Bît-Arrabi, Burutu, 66Dimtu-sha-Sulai, Dimtu-sha-Marbîti-etir, 67Harri-ashlaki, Rabbai, 68Râsu, Akkabarina Tel-Uhuri, 69Hamranu, Naditu, together with the cities 70of the passes of Bît-Bunaki, tel-Humbi, 71Dimtu-sha-Dume-ilu, Bît-Ubia, 72Balti-lishir, Tagab-lishir, 73Shanakidate, the lower Masutu, 74Sar-hudiri, Alum-sha-bêlit-bîti, 75Bît-ahê-iddina, Ilte-uba, 7634 strong cities, together with the small cities 77in their areas, which were countless, 78I besieged, I conquered, I despoiled, I destroyed, I devastated, 79I burned with fire, with the smoke of their conflagration 80I covered the wide heavens like a hurricane. 81-1The Elamite, Kudur-nahundu, heard of the overthrow of his cities,
17In my eighth campaign, after Shuzubu had revolted, 18and the Babylonians, wicked devils, had 19closed the city-gates&emdash;their hearts planning resistance; 20Shuzubu the Chalden, a weakling hero, 21who had no knees, a slave, subject to the governor of the city of 22the city of Lahiri; the fugitive Arameans gathered around him, the runaway, 23the murderer, the bandit. Into the marshes24they descended and started a rebellion. But I completely surrounded him. 25I pressed him to the life. Through fear and hunger 26he fled to Elam. When plotting 27and treachery were hatched against him, 28he fled from Elam and entered Shuanna. The Babylonians 29placed him on the throne&emdash;for which he was not fit&emdash; 30and entrusted to him the government of Sumer and Akkad. 31They opened the treasury of the Esagila temple and the gold and silver 32belonging to Bêl [Marduk] and Sarpanit, they brought forth the property of the temples of their gods. 33And to Umman-menanu, king of Elam, who had 34neither sense nor judgment, they sent them as a bribe (saying): 35"Gather your army, prepare your camp, 36haste to Babylon, stand at our side, for37you are our trust." That Elamite&emdash; 38whose cities I had conquered and turned into ruins 39on my earlier campaign against Elam&emdash; 40without thinking 41received the bribes from them, gathered his army and camp, 42collected his chariots and wagons, and hitched his horses 43and mules to them. The lands of Parsuash 44Anzan, Pasheru, Ellipi, the men of Yazan, 45Lakabra, Harzunu, Dummuku, 46Sulai, Samuna, the son of Merodach-baladan, 47the lands of Bît-Adini, Bît-Amukkanu, Bît-Sillana, 48Bît-Sâlatutu-akki, the city of Lahiru, the men of Bukudu, 49Gambulum, Halatum Ru'ua, 50Ubulum, Malahu, Rapiku, 51Hindaru, Damunu&emdash;an enormous vassal army 52he called to his side. The largest portion of them 53-55took the road to Akkad. Closing in on Babylon, they exchanged courtesies with Shuzubu, the Chaldean king of Babylon, and brought their army to a halt. 56Like the onset of locust swarms of the springtime, 57they steadily progressed against me to offer battle. 58With the dust of their feet covering the wide heavens, 59like a mighty storm with masses of dense clouds, 60they drew up in battle array before me in the city of Halulê, on the bank of the Tigris. 61They blocked my passage and offered battle. 62-65As for me, I prayed for victory over the mighty foe to Assur, Sin, Shamash, Bêl, Nabû, Nergal, Ishtar of Nineveh, Ishtar of Arbela. 66They quickly gave ear to my prayers and came 67to my aid. Like a lion I raged; I put on 68a coat of mail. A helmet, emblem of victory, 69I placed upon my head. My great battle chariot,70which brings the foe low, 71I hurriedly mounted in the anger of my heart. The mighty bow, 72which Assur had given me, I seized in my hands; 73the javelin, piercing to the life, I grasped. 74Against all of the armies of wicked enemies, 75I cried out, rumbling like a storm. I roared like Adad. 76At the word of Assur, the great lord, my lord, on flank and front 77I pressed upon the enemy like the onset of a raging storm. 78With the weapons of Assur, my lord, and the terrible onset of my attack, 79I stopped their advance, I succeeded in surrounding them, 80I decimated the enemy host with arrow and spear. 81I bored through all of their bodies. 82Humban-undasha, the field-marshall 83of the king of Elam, a trustworthy man, commander 84of his armies, his chief support, together with his nobles 85who wear the golden belt-daggar 86-87and whose wrists are encircles with thick rings of shining gold 88like fat steers who have hobbles put on them,
36After that time;after I had completed the palace 37in the midst of the city of Nineveh for my royal residence, 38had filled it with beautiful furnishings, to the astonishment of all the people; 39the side-palace, which the former kings, 40my ancestors, had built 41for the care of the camp, the stabling of the horses, and general storage, 42had no terrace, that its site was too small, 43that its construction had not been skillfuly done, that, as the days went by, its foundation-platform 44had become weak, its foundation had given way and its roof had falen in. 45I tore down that palace in its entirety. 46A large tract of land in the meadows 47and environs of the city I confiscated, according to plan, 48and added to it. The site of the former palace 49I abandoned. With the ground of the meadows 50which I had seized from the riverflats, I filled in a terrace, 51I raised its top 200 tipki (thickness of brick) on high. In a favorable month 52on an auspicious day, on the top of that terrace, 53following the cunning of my heart, a palace of limestone 54and cedar, of Hittite workmanship also a 55lofty palace of Assyrian workmanship, which 56far surpassed the former one in size and beauty, 57according to the plan of wise architects, 58I had them build for my royal residence. 59Mighty cedar beams, the product of Amanus, the shining mountain, 60I stretched over them. Door-leaves of liari-wood I 61covered with a sheathing of bright bronze and set up 62in their doors. Out of white limestone, 63which is found in the land of the city of Baladai, 64I had mighty statues fashioned and 65positioned on the right and left of the entrances. For the equipment of the 66black-headed people, the stabling of horses, mules, colts, 67riding camels, chariots, wagons, carts, quivers, 68bows and arrows, all kinds of battle equipment: 69teams of horses and mules which 70possessed enormous strength, and were broken to the yoke. 71I greatly enlarged its court of the gates. That palace, from its foundation 72to its coping, I constructed, I finished. A stele 73with my name inscribed on it I set up in it. In the days to come 74among the kings, my sons, whose name Assur75and Ishtar shall name for the rule of land and people, 76when that palace shall become old and ruined, 77may some future prince restore its ruins, look upon 78the stele with my name inscribed on it, anoint it with oil, 79pour out a libation upon it, and return it to its place. Then Assur and Ishtar 80will hear his prayers. He who destroys my inscription and my name; 81may Assur, the great lord, the father of the gods, 82treat him as an enemy, 83take away the scepter and throne from him, and overthrow his rule. 84The month of Tammuz; eponym of Gahilu, 85governor of Hatarikka.
The Constitution of the Iroquois Federation
Authors: Members of the Tribes
Date written: Between the years 1000 and 1450
Location written/composed in: In the territory of the agreeing tribes (Present day Ontario and New York.)
Genre: Constitution
Other notes:
This document ensured peace between the nations of Cayuga, Mohawk, Seneca, Oneidas and Onondaga. A sixth tribe, the Tuscarora joined in 1722. The six nations are collectively known as the Iroquois. The document not only secured peace but also protected their dignity when the Europeans arrived; it was clear that the Iroquois were much more civilized than the Aztec who, when the Spanish arrived, were sacrificing human beings.
It was believed to have been created largely because of the effort of Hiawatha (a member of the Onondaga whose mother was a Mohawk).
The Treaty was translated into English from Iroquoian somewhere around the year 1880.
The text reads as follows:
1. The number of chiefs in this Confederation of the Five Nation Indians are 50 in number, no more and no less. They are the ones to arrange, to legislate and to look after the affairs of their people.
2. The Mohawks, an Indian Nation, forms a part of the body of this Five Nation Indians Confederation, and their representatives in this Confederation is 9 chiefs.
3. The Oneidas, an Indian Nation, forms a party of the body of this Five Nation Indians Confederation, and their representatives in this Confederation is 9 chiefs.
4. The Onondagas, an Indian Nation, form a part of the body of this Five Nation Indians Confederation, and their representatives in this Confederation is 14 chiefs.
5. The Cayugas, an Indian Nation, forms a part of the body of this Five Nation Indians Confederation, and their representatives in this confederation is 10 chiefs.
6. The Senecas, an Indian Nation, forms a part of the body of this Five Nation Indians Confederation, and their representatives in this confederation is 8 chiefs.
7. When the Five Nation Indians Confederation chiefs assemble to hold a council, the council shall be duly opened and closed by the Onondaga chiefs, the Firekeepers. They will offer thanks to the Great Spirit that dwells in heaven above: the source and ruler of our lives, and it is him that sends daily blessings upon us, our daily wants and daily health, and they will then declare the Council open for the transaction of business, and give decisions of all that is done in the council.
8. There are three totems or castes of the Mohawk Nation, viz. the Tortoise, the Wolf and the Bear. Each has 3 head chiefs, 9 in all. The chiefs of the Tortoise and Wolf castes are the council by themselves, and the chiefs of the Bear castes are to listen and watch the progress of the council or discussion of the two castes; and if they see any error, they are to correct them and explain where they are wrong; and when they decide with the sanction of the Bear castes then their speaker will refer the matter to the other side of the council fire, to the second combination chiefs, viz The Oneidas and Cayugas.
9. The council of the five Nations shall not be opened until all of the 3 castes of the Mohawk chiefs are present. If they are not all present it shall be legal for them to transact the business of the council if all the 3 totems have one or more representatives present, and if not it shall not be legal except in small matters; for all the 3 castes of the Mohawk chiefs must be present to be called a full council.
10. The business of the council of the Five Nation Indians is transacted by two combination of chiefs; viz first the Mohawks and Senecas, and second the Oneidas and Cayugas.
11. When a case or proposition is introduced in the council of the Five Nations, the Mohawk chiefs with the Senecas shall first consider the matter, and whatever the decision may be; then the speaker will refer the matter to the other side of the council fire; to the second combination chiefs, the Oneidas and Cayugas, for their consideration, and if they all agree unanimously then the speaker of the council shall refer the matter to the Fire-keepers; and it is then their duty to sanction it; and their speaker will then pronounce the case as passed in council.
12. If a dissension arises between the two combination chiefs in council, and they agree to refer the matter to the Fire-keepers to decide, then the Fire-keepers shall decide which of the two or more propositions is most advantageous to their people, and their decision is final.
13. When any case or proposition has passed unanimously between the two combination chiefs, and the case or proposition is then referred to the Fire-keepers for their sanction: and if the Fire-keepers see that the case or proposition is such that it will be injurious and not to the advantage of their people, then they will refer the case or proposition back to the Mohawk chiefs, and point out where it would be injurious to the people and then they will reconsider the case. When it is right the case is then referred again to the Fire-keepers and then they will pass it.
14. When there is a case, proposition, or any subject before the council of the Five Nation Indians, no chief or chiefs has any right to stand up to speak without permission from the council, and if he has anything to say by way of explanation, he can do so in a low tone to the combined chiefs whereof he is a member.
15. When anything is under the consideration of the council, they must agree unanimously if possible before it is referred to the other side of the council fire, to the second combination chiefs; otherwise it would be illegal so to do by one or more chiefs, unless sanctioned by the rest of the combined chiefs of which he or they is a member.
16. The speaker of the council of the Five Nations council shall be appointed from time to time when it is necessary, by the first combined chiefs (viz the Mohawks and Senecas) during the day or days when the council is in session.
17. The duty of the speaker of the council as aforesaid is to order the Fire-keepers to open and close the council, and to address the council when necessary and to refer cases, propositions, etc. to the second combined chiefs and to the Fire-keepers, and to proclaim sanctioned cases, or anything when passed by the council.
18. A speaker of the Fire-keepers shall be chosen from time to time, as occasion shall require; by the Onondaga chiefs themselves.
19. The speaker of the Second Combined Chiefs appointment, shall be on the same condition as the speaker of the Fire-keepers.
20. Each of the Principal chiefs has one war chief and a runner, and should war break out, then the office of the principal chief ceases during the war. The war chiefs will take their places and council for the Five Nations until the end of the war; then the office will cease and the principal chiefs shall resume their places and their duties as before.
21. If the Principal chief desires to have anything to do with the war, this he can do by giving up the emblem which he received by his relatives when he was first made chief.
22. The duty of the messenger or runner is to carry tidings from place to place by order of the Five Nation Indians Confederation session, or by his superior chiefs.
23. If the Principal chief does fail in his judgement in the five Nation Indians Confederation council, of course the duty of his war chief is to assist him, and he is bound to listen.
24. The duty of the Head Principal Chief of the Onondagas, Ododarho, is to keep the Five Nation Indians Confederation council fire clean all around, that no dust or dirt is to be seen. There is a long wing of a bird and a stick is placed by his side, and he will take the long wing and sweep or dust the dirt away from the council fire, and if he sees any creeping creature crawling towards the Five Nation Indians council fire, he will take the stick and pitch the crawling creature away from the fire, and his cousin chiefs of the Onondagas will act with him at all times, and the crawling creature signifies any case or proposition or subject brought before the Five Nation Indians council which would be ruinous and injurious to their people, and they are to reject anything which on the nature would be ruinous and injurious and not to the advantage of their people, and they are to consider first by themselves during the council, and then call the attention of the council to the fact, case or proposition, and the council are not to receive it after it had been rejected by the council.
25. The Fire-keepers of the Five Nation Indians Confederation council the Onondaga principal chiefs are combined together by themselves expressly to open and close the Five Nation Indians Confederation council and to sanction, and decide any case, proposition, subject, point or points, when referred to them and all the chiefs must be present during the session, and agree unanimously, for one or two or more chiefs to sanction, and to give decision is illegal if the rest of their cousin chiefs are present and the council shall not be organized if the Onondaga chief of chiefs are not present to open and close the council, but if he or they shall not sanction, or give decision on any case, proposition, subject, point or points until all the rest of their cousin chiefs shall be present.
26. The duty of the two head Seneca chiefs (viz, Kennonkeridawi and Deyoninhohakarawen), who are stationed at the door of the Five Nations Indians Confederation session, is to watch and if they see any crawling creature entering in the session they will disallow to enter in the session. Crawling creature signifies any case of proposition which brought before the session would be ruinous, or injurious to the people; and also if they see stranger near the door they will bring the stranger in their session and ask what is their message have they with them.
27. If any one of the Five Nation Indians confederation chiefs should die, and there being no member in the caste fit for the office to succeed him, then the chiefs of the Five Nation Indians shall take the emblem of chieftainship and put it in another family of the same caste as the deceased chief, until such time as they shall have a member qualified for the office, then the emblem of chieftainship shall be restored to the said family, on the female side.
28. If the principal chief or chiefs of the Five Nation lndians Confederation disregards (this) constitution of the Five Nation Indians, then his female relatives will come to him and warn him or they to come back, and walk according to this constitution. If he or they disregards the warning after the first and second warnings, then she will refer the matter to the war chief, and the war chief will now say to him: "So, you did not listen to the warnings, now it is just where the bright noonday sun stands and it's before that sun's brightness I now discharge you as a chief and I now dispossess you of the office of chieftainship. I now give her the chieftainship for she is the proprietor, and as I have now discharged you as a chief, so you are no longer a chief, you will now go where you want it to go, and you will now go alone, and the rest of the people will not go with you for we know not of what kind of a spirit has got in you, and as the Great Spirit could not handle sin, therefore he could not come to take you out of the presence in the place of destruction, and you will never be restored again to the place you did occupy once." Then the war chief will notify the Five Nation Indians confederation of his dismissal and they will sanction it.
29. Kariwhiyho, the good message is the love of the Great Spirit, the Supreme Being. This Kariwhiyho is the surrounding guardian of the Five Nation Indians Confederation principal chiefs. And this Kariwhiyho, it loves all alike the members of the Five Nations Indians Confederation, and other nations of Indians that are attached to it through customary way of treaties, and if the Five Nation Indians Confederation principal chiefs were to submit to laws and regulations made by other people, or course he or they the chief or chiefs are now gone through outside the boundary of the Kariwhiyhos surrounding guard, but their chieftainship fell off from their heads, and it remains inside the Five Nation Indians Confederation, and he or they are now gone outside of the Kariwhiyho's surrounding guard alone without his or their chieftainship, the emblem of his or their chieftainship, their authority and honour.
30. There is 5 arrows bound together. This is the symbol of union, power, honour and Dominion of the Five Nations Indians confederation, and if one of the 5 arrows was to be taken out then the remainder is easily broken asunder. This signifies if one of the Five Nations were to emigrate to a distant country of course they now withdrawn from the Confederation, therefore the Power of the Five Nation Indians confederation decreased.
31. Adodarho, the head chief of the Ononadagas or Fire-keepers, it is them are entrusted the care of the Five Nation Indians Confederation council fire, and if there is any business to be transacted, they will send a messenger to the head chief of the Fire-keepers Adodarho; and state the nature of the business to him. Then Adodarho will call his cousin chiefs together and hold a council by themselves and consider the matter, and if they find that the matter is worth the consideration of the council of the Five Nations, then Adodarho will send a messenger and notify the rest of the chiefs of the five nations to assemble at their council house, or wherever their residence where the council fire is kept, and its smoke ascends up perpetually to the sky, this it signifies that other Indian Nations are allies to the Five Nation Indians confederation, and as an imperial council fire, and when the chiefs assemble together and the council fire opened according to their rules, then the Fire-keepers will announce to the council the nature business for which they came together to consider.
32. And when the Five Nation Indian chief dies, the council will be adjourned 10 days if it is in session, and if it is not in session it will not be summoned before the 10 days expire; and if the 3 Brothers, viz; Mohawks, Ononadagas and Senecas, should lose one by death of their number, then the 4 brothers Yadathewah, Oneidas and Cayugas, shall come to the residence of the deceased chief on the 10th day and comfort and cheer up their spirits again and if it is to Yadathawah that loses one of their number then the 3 Brothers will perform the ceremony according to their customs by passing a certain number of strings of wampum. During the ceremony is in progress, a successor must be pointed out to them. Then the female relatives of the deceased chief shall select one out of kindreds fit for the office of a chief. And if they are not ready, then they will postpone it until another time, and when they are ready; all the chiefs will assemble together to perform a long ceremony of what is called Okayondontshera to install the new chief or chiefs.
33. Yohhedodaoe, this is the title of a chief, and it is a peculiar way of how he becomes chief when a warrior assists the chiefs in their councils and otherwise, and he is found to be a wise councilor in war and peace, and of sober habits trustworthy and honest, then the chiefs will place him among the rest of the chiefs; as a chief and proclaim in their council, that such a one has become what is called Wakadinedothese he now becomes a chief. And also if a warrior do exploits that will tend to the advantage and interest of his people, he also will become Yonedodaoe amongst them as well, so his class of chiefs are not of the same order as the principle chiefs; for when he departs this life no one is to take his place or succeed him, and if he does wrong in their councils he could not be put out of the council, but he will not be allowed any more to speak in their council, and if he resign his office no one is able to prevent him.
34. If the Five Nation Indian Confederation chief die, then, his comrades will send a messenger to notify the rest of the confederate chiefs to attend his funeral.
35. When the Five Nation Indians Confederation chief get sick, and as he is now approaching unto death, then his female relatives, or his comrade chiefs will come and dispossess him (of) the emblem of his chieftainship.
36. You can create an install a new chief or chiefs when you will hear my words again, and the way that you will hear my words again is when you will read the wampums, for it is the wampums that tells all my Laws, Rules, Customs, which I gave you, the Five Nations Indians, on this occasion you can create and install a new chief in the first combined chiefs, the second and the third as well.
37. And when one is made chief, his skin are said to be seven Niyoroekarake (each of the seven is six inches) in thickness and they were made so when they were made a chief or chiefs. This symbolizes, that when they are in council and engaged in their duties they will not willingly offend, and they are not easily to be offended, and they are not to take offence in anything that might be said in council against them; but to go one calmly, and of a good conscience to deliberate whatever is before them to council!.
38. The title of the Five Nation Indians Confederation principal chiefs are Lords, and this title was from the beginning when the Confederation first established.
39. And if any of the chiefs resign his office as a chief, he shall tell his Brother chiefs, and if he selects one to take his place and be a chief instead, and his Brother chiefs accepts his resignation and one to fill his place, but he will not be made a chief, until sanctioned by his female relatives.
40. The Great Spirit the Supreme Being has chosen to Mohawk Nation as head in this Confederation, for it is with them that the Confederation originated. Therefore if the Mohawk chiefs disallow anything, or protest any case or proposition that is brought before the council it shall not be lawful for the council to pass it, for has chosen them to be the leader of this Confederation government, and all the affairs of the Five Nation Indians, and others that are united with them are in their hands; and he has given the Mohawk chiefs a calm and tender hearts towards their people, and if any difficulty arise amongst them the people the chiefs in council will settle it for them.
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